We are all interconnected and must do our part to prevent COVID 19 spread.

world in his hands

If you didn’t believe before that we are all interconnected, I am confident you believe it now.

One new viral infection has led to a pandemic.  While pandemics are not new, it is new for most of us in the United States.  Few of us were alive in 1918 when the Spanish flu affected the world.  And if you were here at that time, it is highly unlikely that you even remember it.  If you are now age 105, you would have been age 3 or 4 during the Spanish flu.

I’ve heard many people say, “it is like we are living in a sci-fi movie”. If you would have asked me two months ago, that most flights overseas are grounded, that major sporting events canceled, that nonessential businesses would be closed, and physical distancing measures be implemented,  I would have stated that it is impossible.  However, that is the reality.  If you are among the percentage of people who believe the outbreak to be a hoax, try to not deny what is happening.  Denial will trick you into thinking you will not get sick or the virus does not have any direct impact on you.  Denial will allow you to not follow the recommendations of specialists and experts who understand how pandemics work and are advocating to save lives.  Even if you never get exposed to COVID 19 virus, the implications of this virus have already changed societies and will continue to do so.  For some of us in minor ways, for some of us in tragic ways.

Now is not the time to place blame on other countries.  Now is not the time to blame politicians.  It is not the time for political figures to point blame at travelers, nursing home health care administrators, etc. Blaming one another for this crisis is not allowing us to work cooperatively to solve new problems.  If scientists and experts recommend guidelines on how to move forward, they are the experts who we need to be listening to.  We are still learning about how the virus spreads, infects, and how to medically treat it so we can save lives.  Until more effective treatments are discovered, prevention is your best medicine.  Our world has been through pandemics before and we should learn from the past.  Many have used the lesson learned with two cities during the Spanish Flu that took two different approaches to fight the spread.  Our country is doing similar things.  Every state is making local decisions.  While each location has its own unique circumstances, we will look back at what we did right and what we did wrong.  We just have not seen anything on this grand of a scale for quite some time.  It is my opinion that it is not wise to compare it to the H1N1 virus of 2009, SARS, MERS, or Ebola.  Each of those viruses had a unique impact on the world.  The Spanish Flu of 1918 is probably the best pandemic to compare it to, however, even that was influenza and this is a coronavirus.  We should not compare apples and oranges.  Another parable is that of the blind men and elephant.  We need to listen to experts.  Listen to the infectious disease specialists, epidemiologists, historians, and professors.   

There are times to be offensive and there times to be defensive.  If you want to be successful and win the game, a team works together and knows when to be offensive and knows when to be defensive.  These are lessons we are taught early in life.  The consequence of not winning this war on this virus can have a vast toll on us.  We are in this together.  At some point, medical professionals and/or scientists will find successful treatment and in the process save millions of lives.  Yes, millions. If we do not listen to the experts, we will continue to see sad and difficult days ahead.  We have no idea how long that will be.  You have to do your part.  Now is the time to play defense.   Even if you live in a remote part of the world and do not get exposed to the virus, you can show your support by leading by example.  Stay home.  Rural areas have cases.  No one is immune to a new virus.

Please follow the recommendations of the CDC.  The only recommendation I do not agree with by the CDC is the one that healthy people do not need masks.  I understand the importance of first responders and health care providers to have masks.  Yet, people have the right to protect themselves.  Plus, even if you do not have a mask to wear – consider wearing a bandana over your mouth and nose.  In my observation and opinion, South Korea has been more effective at reducing the spread of the COVID virus.  I read that 70% of the population has been wearing masks over their nose and mouth when they are out in public.  We should be doing the same.  When we do go out for groceries or to the pharmacy, wear a protective mask or bandana. If it is being recommended for those health care professionals who are treating the infected, the same guidelines apply to you to protect yourself from the virus.  You still should try to stay six feet away from others in addition to the other guidelines.  Keep in mind, not all people who are sick will be staying home.  To complicate matters, some infected people may not have symptoms and are unintentionally spreading the virus.

Hope.  The FDA has allowed the ability to begin using antibodies of infected individuals who recovered as a way to treat the severely ill in New York.  I heard today that the virus is not mutating easily.  This is good news.

Some people, like Jahova Witness believers, may not agree to this form of treatment.   Yet, for those who want it, it is a way to possibly defeat the virus and save lives.  Other measures are being discussed and will be attempted.  Until we have an effective treatment, continue to play defense.

Updated 3/25/2020 at 12:14 pm EST

Local reports show devastating impact of COVID 19 in the United States

Reports from around the country: those with comments after the state are noteworthy reads

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona Overdose from self medicating.

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut One party in early March finds half of the guests got infected.

Delaware

Florida Doctors are starting to see a high number of people presenting to emergency rooms in south east counties in the state.

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho Emergency room physician shares his thoughts.

Illinois First known COVID-19-related infant death in US

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky Amazon warehouse performs deep cleaning.

Louisianna High jump in deaths overnight.

Maine

Massachusetts

Maryland Majority of cases in Maryland are under the age of 65.

Michigan

Minnesota Rural hospitals attempt to prepare for COVID patients.

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana 6000 workers file for unemployment.

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey Timeline of the outbreak.

New Mexico Air Force base has 3 confirmed cases.

New York. Emergency Room doctor states 90% of those presenting to the emergency room have COVID symptoms.

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio In one county, half of the cases are in people aged 20-39.

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee Second death from COVID in Tennessee.

Texas Former Texas A&M guard David Edwards dies from coronavirus.

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington Husband and wife die 2 days apart, both from coronavirus-19

West Virginia Trouble getting tested in West Virginia explains why it was the last state in the country to confirm a positive result.

Wisconsin

Wyoming Trouble getting tested despite symptoms.

Updated 3/28/2020 at 10:28 pm EST

New Coronavirus

No cases in Mongolia

Scary to imagine a situation in which the emergency rooms are full of people waiting to get medical attention, health care providers wearing protective gear to avoid becoming ill themselves and dead bodies covered with sheets in the hallway. It sounds like an apocalyptic science fiction movie you once watched, but no more. Unfortunately, we have that very scenario happening in China. So unbelievable the Chinese government shut down mass transportation in and out of more than 16 major metropolitan areas in an attempt to stop or slow the spread of the virus. Mongolia has closed its border with China and its schools for 1 month in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus even though as of Feb 6, 2020 – it had no documented cases of the illness.
No cases in Mongolia

If the experts in China have closed cities and other countries are taking steps to prevent the spread of a new, potentially lethal virus – it is wise to continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds and begins to be proactive in your attempts to stay healthy. Now is the time to be prepare before the virus spreads in the Western Hemisphere.

As things develop, it appears that this virus is going to be more difficult to contain than previous virus outbreaks. Look at the following cases from February 18th, 22nd and March 1st:
Feb 18, 2020


COVID 19 as of March 1st.
A summary of other headlines related to the COVID19 outbreak can be found here:

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In the event you do end up in an emergency room, being able to quickly and effectively communicate your medical history will be an asset for yourself as well as the hospital staff. Being prepared ahead of such a scenario can get you prompt and better care.   There is no cost for the basic membership.

Updated 3/25/2020 at 1:12 pm EST

 

Are you ready for your next professional medical visit?

How to Protect Yourself Against Medical Errors with MyMedicInfo.

Automobile accidents occur in staggering numbers in the United States, to the tune of over 10 million per year! (according to US Census data from 2009) How many deaths do you think result from those accidents annually? Personally, I found it fascinating to note that there were only 26 deaths attributed to motor vehicles in 1899. With an explosion in population, an Industrial Revolution afoot, and the mass production of the modern automobile, that number had increased to 12,155 fatalities in a year by 1920. It is no great wonder that it continued rising, having nearly doubled to 23,165 by 1944. Car accident deaths peaked in 1973 with 54,589 Americans dying in motor vehicle altercations. Since then, the number has been in decline, reaching as low as 32,367 deaths in the year 2011. The most recent statistics for 2016 can be read here.  Odds of death in the United States can viewed here.

Besides a sense of historical context for auto accidents, these numbers tell us a couple of things. Thankfully, deaths from car accidents have been steadily decreasing, likely due to developments in car safety technology and advancements in medicine to treat accident victims. However, this also leads us to surmise that more people are surviving auto accidents, requiring emergency treatment. For many with a history of health problems, a trip to the Emergency Room may be every bit as deadly as the accident that sent them there in the first place!

To Err is Human; To Prepare, Divine.

Authorities suggest that deaths in hospitals resulting from medical errors may exceed fatalities from auto accidents each year. The exact numbers are hard to pin down, but according to a 2004 Health Grades estimation, medical error deaths could total as many as 195,000 per year. While this is still a very small percentage of the total number of people admitted to hospitals each year, it is still cause for great concern, especially for those who already have recurring health problems. One particular example of medical error is administering treatment medications to patients en route to the hospital. Intravenous infusions of certain medications during an ambulance ride can save a patient’s life. However, certain pre-existing medical conditions make treatment with these common lifesaving drugs, not only dangerous, but even deadly. For example, patients on blood thinners, heart medications, diabetic drugs, and/or allergy meds will be treated differently if the details of their medical history are known by paramedics. This is why having the medical app  can be a lifesaver in the event of an accident or health crisis.

Why MyMedicInfo?

In an emergency, such as a car accident, you may not be able to speak for yourself. In fact, even if you could, statistics say that less than 50% of patients can even list their current medications and dosages. Now, imagine the scenario where you are severely injured in an automobile accident and cannot inform the emergency responders about specific medications, allergies, and known health conditions. In such a situation, symptoms may be misdiagnosed, which makes effective treatment impossible. Studies suggest that half of all medical errors may result from mistakes made during the hospital admission or discharge process. Moreover, first responders are trained to look for medical bracelets when initiating treatment. The simple preemptive measure of wearing a medical ID device helps keep minor injuries from turning fatal, reduces hospital error, and may improve your chances of a healthy recovery.

What is a Medical App?

Modern medicine is becoming necessarily more bound to technology. The use of modern technology in treating patients helps to reduce error and provide better treatment. One of the most prominent examples of this can be seen in the push to develop EHR software or electronic health records. Traditional health records are subject to damage, loss, theft, and even human error. We are moving toward a new paradigm where medical records can be kept “in the cloud” and accessed by doctors anywhere in the world. As we wait for modern medicine and technology to further intertwine, we can prepare by improving communications with medical professionals.  To work with technological developments in the medical industry, you can shift the paradigm from the traditional engraved medical alert ID to something even better. That something is MyMedicInfo, a Medical app that stores all of your medical information in one place.

MyMedicInfo Can Save Your Life

MyMedicInfo is a medical app that you access on your hand held device. MyMedicInfo can communicate your current medications, past medical history, allergies, and even store phone numbers of who you want notified in case of an emergency. The sheer shock of an accident or injury can be enough to prevent you from effectively communicating your unique medical needs to first responders. MyMedicInfo can save your life or the life of someone that you love by making sure that your unique medical needs are communicated to those administering treatment.

Updated on 01/29/2024